Altoona receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Muncie
Altoona
Opportunity
50 · Bottom 38%
vs61 · Top 39%
Growth
31 · Bottom 21%
vs24 · Bottom 13%
Climate
68 · Top 48%
vs64 · Bottom 43%
Physical resilience
76 · Top 20%
vs87 · Top 7%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 35%
vs100 · Top 27%
Access
66 · Bottom 30%
vs63 · Bottom 26%
Economic stability
37 · Bottom 30%
vs55 · Top 44%
Measured values
| Metric | Muncie | Altoona | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 112,280 | 121,277 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $58,127 | $62,382 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,091 | $35,639 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 286/sq mi | 231/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $139,400 | $161,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $906 | $885 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.5% | 72.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.6% | 1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.2% | 24.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.6% | 12.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 96 | 90 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -71.3% | -14.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 86°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 21°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 40.3" | 36.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 59 mi | 60 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 21.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.8 | 43.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Muncie
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Altoona
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Muncie, IN Metro Area · Altoona, PA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology